


Between

by Flynne



Series: Garviel Shepard [15]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Garv just needs a nap okay, Gen, he deserves it, idiot cinnamon roll bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 15:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16370216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flynne/pseuds/Flynne
Summary: The Reaper War is over, and the Shepard family has some time to breathe.





	Between

In hindsight, Garv thought, maybe the walk hadn’t been a good idea. 

He’d thought that he felt up to it earlier, and he’d been feeling stir-crazy stuck inside the house with the sun shining outside. Earth’s climate was still uneasily sorting itself out, and long days of sustained sunlight were rare. There had already been a day or two with snow flurries as fall progressed, but today was warmer and pleasant. 

So he and Akil had set off toward the open country, London’s razed shell at their backs. The wind brought the scent of dry leaves, for once free of the ever-present smoke and ash. It was hard to find places that didn’t bear scars from the Reaper War, but in spite of the encroaching autumn, nature was still doing its best to heal them. Moss and vines were already climbing over rubble, and bright drifts of fallen leaves filled in the scorched pits and fissures in the earth. 

Garv took a deep breath of clean air. The movement brought him no pain, and the peaceful silence around him brought relief, even if he was already beginning to feel a little winded. 

“Did you put on sunscreen?” Akil asked, stepping over a half-rotten log. 

“It’s early,” Garv said with a shrug. 

“It’s  _ sunny _ ,” Akil said. “You and the sun don’t tend to have a friendly relationship.”

“I don’t burn as easily anymore,” Garv replied. He cast a rueful glance down at the dark scars on his arms. “Well, I don’t  _ sunburn _ as easily any more.”

“Those skin weaves don’t make  _ that _ much of a difference.”

Garv shot him a playfully annoyed look. “I didn’t see  _ you _ putting any sunscreen on before we left.”

Akil shrugged. “I don’t burn the way you do.”

“There’s still UV radiation.” Garv ducked between the boughs of a willow tree and moved into the shade. “It’s important to be accurate.”

Akil rolled his eyes. “Fine, next time we’ll both put on sunscreen. And you get a hat.” The longsuffering tone of his voice softened as he saw Garv sit down a little unsteadily on a large rock near the trunk. “Is something wrong?”

Garv’s shoulders slumped, but he shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. But I think I overestimated how far I could walk.”

Akil’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked him over. “Do I need to call someone for a ride home?” 

“I’ve made it through worse than this,” Garv said with a lopsided smile. “I can make it back. I just need to sit down for a minute.”

“I know you  _ can _ , but you don’t  _ have _ to. Don’t push yourself, Garviel.” Akil moved around to stand behind him, putting his hands on Garv’s shoulders as he leaned back against him. “You’ve pushed yourself enough already.”

Garv tilted his head back to smile up at him. “Aki, I’m fine. Nothing hurts. I’m just...kind of tired.”

“If you say so.” From anyone else, the reply would have sounded flippant, but Garv just heard his brother conceding, willing to believe him. He took another deep breath, closing his eyes as he listened to the sound of wind through the yellowing willow leaves. 

He sat a while longer before pushing himself to his feet. Akil kept a steadying hand on his elbow until he was completely upright. Garv had hoped that the rest would let him catch his second wind, but instead he just felt stiff. He didn’t say anything, though; just gave Akil a reassuring nod, and then the two of them set off for home. 

The sun was higher and brighter behind them on their walk back. The warmth felt good on his shoulders, but also heavy, and even though the return trip wasn’t any harder than the trip out, he felt drained when they made it back to the small house on the outskirts of London.

Akil noticed his flagging steps and ducked under his arm to help him up the stairs and inside. Garv leaned on him gratefully, letting Akil steer him to the couch. He plopped onto the cushions with a sigh, legs stretched out in front of him. “Okay, so maybe not as far tomorrow.”

“Maybe,” Akil repeated with wry humor. He bent and tugged off Garv’s boots, withdrawing to put them away and returning with a bottle of water. 

“Thanks.” Garv drained half the bottle in one pull before setting it aside. When Akil sat down next to him, Garv leaned against him, slumping over to rest his head on his shoulder. 

“You’re all right?” Akil asked. 

“Yeah. Just...I dunno, I’m tired of getting worn out so quickly.”

“You’ve been through a lot, Garvi,” Akil said quietly. “I know Dr. Chakwas told you how badly you were hurt, but you didn’t see yourself until more than two weeks later. Give yourself some time.”

Akil probably didn't realize it, but his voice carried the same resonance it had during his time of recovery after Garv had been found on Akuze. Garv sighed, sorry to hear that tone in his brother’s voice again. “I’m okay,” he said quietly. 

Akil’s arm tightened around his shoulders. “Just try to stay that way, all right?”

“Doing my best.” Garv curled a little closer, flopped his arm across Akil’s stomach. “At least nobody’s shooting at me anymore.”

Akil chuckled softly. “Small favors.”

Garv smiled to himself, pleased that he’d managed to chase that sad echo away. He shut his eyes and pulled his feet up onto the couch, snuggling against his brother. The last thing he was aware of before he fell asleep was Akil pulling a blanket off the back of the couch to cover him. 

\------------------------------------

Hannah locked the door behind her as she returned home. “Hello? Anybody here?” Her quiet call faded into the silence of the house. Even though no one answered, she still moved softly. It was early, but with no schedule and no demands to bind them, her sons had taken to erratic sleep patterns. She knew it wouldn’t last - both of them were marines and far too set in their ways to deviate from their deeply-ingrained habits for long - but for as long as it  _ did _ last, she was going to let it. They deserved it. 

She entered the living room, smiling  to herself as she saw that she’d been right. Akil was slumped in the corner of the couch with Garv curled against him with his head in his lap. Garv’s shoulders were covered by a blanket, but half the blanket had slipped off his legs and was puddled on the floor. Both of her sons appeared to be sound asleep, but as she stepped into the room and adjusted the blanket, Akil stirred and opened his eyes. 

“Hi, Mama,” he said groggily. “Did you just get back?”

“Yes,” Hannah replied softly. She finished tucking Garv in and leaned down to kiss Akil’s forehead. “Taking it easy today?”

“We are now.” Akil glanced down at Garv before very gently resting his hand on the back of the blond head. “He hasn’t quite come to terms with his lack of endurance yet. We went for a walk this morning and he passed out not long after we got back.”

“He must have been really tired. He hasn’t budged.”

Akil’s gaze down at his brother became thoughtful. “He was. But I think part of it is that he’s still not really sleeping well. So if he can sleep like this, I don’t mind being a pillow. Just don’t tell me if he starts drooling on me.”

Hannah’s eyes flicked down briefly to glance at Garv again, and the corner of her mouth tucked into a smirk. “Okay, I won’t tell you.” Akil grimaced, but the featherlight movement of his fingertips through his brother’s hair belied his expression. 

The edge of Hannah’s smirk softened in a fond smile as she sat down in a chair beside the couch. “Have you talked about what he’s going to do when he’s recovered?”

Akil shook his head, frowning a little. “No. I know Admiral Hackett and the rest of the Council are expecting him to pick up where he left off but for once, I don’t know what he’s thinking. Hackett contacted him last week but he still hasn’t told me what it was about.” 

“And what about you, sweetheart? What are you thinking?”

“Well, they’ll want me to pick up where I left off as well,” he said, shrugging slightly with one shoulder. “I’m N7 and a Spectre, for all that matters now, and the galaxy needs leaders. But…” He looked down at his sleeping brother once again. “...I don’t like the thought of leaving him, even out of duty.”

Hannah’s brow twitched upward. “You know, between the two of you and the crew of the  _ Normandy _ , you’ve all single-handedly saved everyone in the galaxy from extinction. I think you’ve earned the right to choose how you want to serve, son.”

Akil huffed a laugh. “You have a point. For now, I think we can just take one day at a time.”

“Just as you always have,” Hannah told him. 

Akil returned her smile. “True. But now it feels as if we have the time to do it.” 

Garv sighed in his sleep, nuzzled closer against his brother, and slept on.


End file.
